Directional traffic indicating device



Feb. 21, 1939. s w. LEVITAN DIRECTIONAL TRAFFIC INDICATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1937 0h I 3' m 4 N. v NN ON N ON w MM, M N WI w X NN mm N.

R W EQ 4 u K Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a directional trafi'lc indicating device and more particularly to a luminous sign for indicating the direction of traflic along a thoroughfare.

It is-the object of the present invention to provide a luminous indicating sign adapted to be disposed along spaced points of a thoroughfare at which other thoroughfares cross with the former to indicate the direction of trafi-"ic along the former thorough-fare, which direction-maybe different at different times of the day. My invention finds particular application the field of traffic control in large cities which utilize certain streets as one way arteries for traffic when the bulk of the traflic moves in one direction. These traffic arteries are generally used as one way in the reverse direction at other times of the day. The

luminous sign in accordance with my invention provides a convenient way of indicating the direction of the one way traflic at different times of the day which may be controlled from the central traffic controlling system in the same manner as are the ordinary stop and go lights of a municipal traffic system.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a luminous sign of the type generally designated as a neon sign bearing indicia for indicating the purpose of the sign such as the wording One way, with a single double-headed arrow disposed in the front thereof which is adapted to point selectively in the desired direction of traffic.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a traffic indicating sign for indicating selectively the direction of traffic in two opposite directions provided with a single arrow having a single glow tube for the shaft portion obstructing in the least amount the wording of the sign indicating the purpose thereof, and a double glow tube forming the arrow heads serving to increase the luminosity and visibility of these essential parts of the sign by virtue of the mutual light reflection effects derived from the double glow tubes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a luminous sign indicator composed of a single tube formed as a double-headed arrow in which the headed arrow portions are formed. as double tubes which are connected by a single glow tube shaft portion which is common to both arrow heads. By this design, substantial economies in the manufacture of direction indicating signs are realized.

It is a further object of the invention to energize the luminous gas in the sign which may be filled with neon, argon, helium or with any of the other gases known in the art to obtain different luminous effects by electrical potentials connected at predetermined points of the sign to obtain a maximum eiflciency in operation. Electrode terminals are disposed at or near the extremities of the single shaftportion and at the extremities of the arrow heads. The glow tube may be energized by means of transformers. One transformer connection between one electrode terminal on the shaft portion and the electrode terminal on the arrow head furthermost therefrom serves to energize the glow lamp for directing traffic in one direction, and another transformer connection between the other electrode terminal on the shaft portion and the electrode terminal on the opposite arrow head serves to energize the glow lamp for directing traiiic in the opposite direction.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the more detailed description of the invention following hereinafter taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of a sign in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a right view of the casing on which the sign is mounted;

Figure 3 is a sectional View along line 33 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a sectional view along line 4--4 of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 is shown a casing I which may be made of galvanized sheet metal on which is mounted the tubular luminous sign I0 spelling out the words One way. This glow tube is en-- ergized from a transformer 30 mounted within the casing I, having the secondary terminals thereof connected to the electrode terminals l l and I2 of the sign wording.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a hood composed of a top 2 and sides 3 and 4 is attached to the front of the casing in order to exclude daylight reflection effects from the sign and thereby to improve its visibility.

A double-headed arrow is mounted on the casing 1 in front of the sign Hi. This arrow is composed of a shaft portion 20 formed of a single tube with arrows at each end thereof formed of double tubes. The arrow-head indicating a direction to the left is formed of tube portions 2|, 22, 23 and 24. The arrow-head indicating a direction to the right is formed of tube portions 25, 26, 21 and 28. The adjacent or reentrant tube portions forming the arrows serve to produce a highly I visible and luminous effect by virtue of the mutual reflections of the adjacently disposed tube portions upon the other. The shaft portion 20 being formed of a single tube obstructs the sign It] to a minimum degree.

Electrode terminals 3| and 33 are provided near the extremities of the shaft portion 20. Likewise electrode terminals 32 and 34 are provided at the terminals of the arrow heads. The terminals of the secondary winding of the transformer 40, mounted within the casing I, may be connected to the electrode terminals 33 and 34. The terminals of the secondary winding of transformer 50 mounted within the casing I may be connected to the terminals 3| and 32. Thereby the shaft portion 20 of the luminous sign is energized selectively with either one of the arrows depending upon which transformer or is energized, which may be controlled manually or automatically for operation at different times of the day in order to indicate alternate directions of 'trafilc.

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A glow lamp sign for indicating selectively one way traffic in two opposite directions comprising a casing, a glow lamp for characterizing the purpose of the sign mounted in front of said casing, means for energizing said glow lamp mounted within said casing, a second glow lamp for indicating the alternative direction of the one way traffic mounted on said casing in front of said first glow lamp formed as a double-headed arrow having a single glow tube shaft portion whereby the minimum obstruction to the visibility of said first glow lamp is presented thereby and an arrowhead formed from a double glow tube at each end thereof and beyond the wording of said first glow lamp, said double tubing forming the arrowheads effecting mutual reflection effects whereby the visibility of each arrow head is enhanced materially, and means within said casing for selectively energizing one of said arrow-heads and the shaft portion.

2. A glow lamp sign for indicating one-way traffic comprising a casing, a glow lamp delineating One way for characterizing the purpose of the sign mounted in front of said casing, a second glow lamp delineating a pointed arrow for indicating the direction of the one-way traffic mounted on said casing in front of said first glow lamp and comprising a single glow tube shaft portion whereby the minimum obstruction to the visibility of said first glow lamp is presented thereby and. an arrow-head formed from a plurality of glow tubes at an end thereof and beyond the wording of said first glow lamp to produce mutual reflection effects whereby the visibility of the arrow-head is enhanced materially, and means for energizing said glow lamps.

SIMON W. LEVI'IAN. 

